I-Corps: Quantum Wires and Dots for Optoelectronic Devices

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, Rapid City SD

Investigators

Abstract

The market for high power lasers is exploding due to the popularity of laser welders for manufacturing and metal 3D printers. This project aims to demonstrate high electricity-to-light conversion efficiency for light emitting diodes (LED) and diode lasers. LED lighting bulbs will be brighter at the same energy used if they are more efficient in converting electricity into light. The demonstration will be based on novel nanostructures: quantum wires. Current state-of-the-art LEDs and diode lasers are based on the concept of quantum wells, even though higher efficiencies have been predicted from devices based on smaller nanostructures such as quantum wires. Preliminary results from the work conducted by this team suggest a novel route to fabricate quality quantum wires and their subsequent uses for high efficiency LEDs and lasers. Fabrication of quality nanostructures by direct laser modification of surfaces has been regarded problematic due to laser induced defects, especially irradiation of high power laser pulses on III-V semiconductors has been known to induce damages since 1980. However, preliminary data from GaAs(001) surfaces that are irradiated by high power laser pulses suggest that the laser produced nanoscale features, if smaller than 100 nm, are free from chemical damages when the interferential irradiation of laser pulses creates transient thermal gratings on the surfaces. The demonstration of quality nanostructures as gain media for optoelectronic devices is fundamentally important because it is applicable to other material systems in order to usher the across-the-board efficiency increase for optoelectronic devices. If successful, developed direct laser fabrication techniques will be employed to realize proof-of-concept, diode lasers that are based on novel quantum wires.